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If you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

We are currently walking through the NT book of Matthew.

We are going to Jump Back in to Matthew Chapter 12 today.

Let’s jump back in to where we were before.

1. Who are the Players?

2. Where is this taking place?

3. Who is the intended Audience?

4. What was going on in the situation?

5. Who was the Speaker Speaking To?

Jesus is speaking to the Religious leaders.

Matthew 12:38–40 CSB

38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

I want to remind you that Jesus never says anything that the Jewish community had not heard. Jesus just continually points the reader back the Torah the written Word of God.

But Why?

Because it is God Breathed, Holy Spirit driven, and the absolute rule by which we should live.

However, like most people driven by religion we muddy things up and that is exactly what the Religious Leaders of the Jews have done.

Instead of looking at what was right in front of their eyes they would rather stick to the rules for life that they had made up for everyone rather than the relationship that God was offering.

At this point in the Matthews record the Leaders have completely rejected Jesus and now they ask him to Show them another sign. As If they have not seen enough signs. Jesus has publically been performing miracles before their eyes day after day.

So How does Jesus Respond?

He responds with scripture.

Matthew 12:39 CSB

39 He answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

Jesus is quoting:

Jeremiah 3:1–5 CSB

1 If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him to marry another, can he ever return to her? Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled? But you! You have prostituted yourself with many partners— can you return to me? This is the Lord’s declaration. 2 Look to the barren heights and see. Where have you not been immoral? You sat waiting for them beside the highways like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled the land with your prostitution and wickedness. 3 This is why the showers haven’t come— why there has been no spring rain. You have the brazen look of a prostitute and refuse to be ashamed. 4 Haven’t you recently called to me, “My Father! You were my friend in my youth. 5 Will he bear a grudge forever? Will he be endlessly infuriated?” This is what you have said, but you have done the evil things you are capable of.

This is a warning about the Path the Jewish Leadership is taking

They have traded false gods for a God they have created through their own rules and regulations.

So Jesus tells them that the only sign they will see is Sign of Jonah

Matthew 12:40 CSB

40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.

The Reluctant Jewish Prophet sent to the Ninevites to Preach Repentance.

This Story is so important to the Jewish Faith that this Scroll is read Every year on Yom Kippur, Israel’ most Holy Day.

Three Days and Three Nights in The Belly of a Great Fish

Jesus is once again using Classic Rabbinic Parallelism not Literal fulfillment of Concrete details.

This has lead to confusion about the day Jesus was crucified

Jewish System of any part of a Day.

What we can trust is that every other time Jesus talks about his death he says he will resurrect on the third day.

Matthew 16:21 CSB

21 From then on Jesus began to point out to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.

Matthew 17:23 CSB

23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.” And they were deeply distressed.

There are more.

Friday afternoon death of Yeshua (14 Nisan/day 1), in the tomb all of Shabbat/Friday sundown to Saturday sundown (15 Nisan/day 2) and his resurrection before sunrise on that Sunday morning (16 Nisan/day 3).

But the Parallelism doesn’t stop at the Resurrection

Jesus goes on to say that Just like Jonah was a miraculous sign to the Ninevites, The resurrection of the Messiah would be a sign to all of Israel.

Matthew 12:41 CSB

41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look—something greater than Jonah is here.

The people of Nineveh will stand up at the Judgment with this generation and condemn it. That previous generation responded in repentance to the sign and message of Jonah.

How much more will the judgment be to those who ignore the one who is greater than Jonah.

Jesus Then gives another Biblical Parallel.

Jesus is the Better! Like Ice Cream.

Matthew 12:42 CSB

42 The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look—something greater than Solomon is here.

Referencing 1 Kings 10 Where the Queen of Ethiopia Sheba come to seek the wisdom of Solomon.

According to Matthew Presents Yeshua

So too, Yeshua teaches, one greater than Shlomo is here now. Why the two different biblical illustrations? The common denominator is that both events tell of Gentiles who responded favorably to the spiritual light of God. By implication, this generation of Israel is even more culpable. Nineveh and Sheba had the prophetic message of God presented to them and they both repented. How tragic that many in first-century Israel rejected not just a prophet but an even greater light, Messiah in their midst. That generation of Israel had gotten to a point where they did not need more signs but needed to respond to the light they were given.

Jesus then gives on last warning to Isreal.

Matthew 12:43–45 CSB

43 “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any. 44 Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first. That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

The issue with trying to clean up your life without the Holy Spirit.

By your own might leads to more destruction.

Ephesians 6:12 CSB

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.

Fences won’t Keep it Clean

More Will power won’t keep it clean

Another Self Help Podcast won’t Keep it Clean

Only the Blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit will Keep it Clean.

Only when we learn to Be With Jesus

Only when we learn to Become Like Jesus

Only when we Start doing What Jesus Did

Will the House stay Clean Because then the Holy Spirit is the House Keeper

Respond.